Man beat baby to death after learning he was not the child’s father, police say

Memphis police arrested a man after they said he punched a baby so hard it stopped breathing, court records said.

According to police, the victim’s mother called 911 on April 12 when her four-month-old child was found unresponsive. Paramedics took the child to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in extremely critical condition.

The child was pronounced dead upon arriving to the hospital.

The mother and her boyfriend, Jose Agurcia-Avila, said they did not know what caused the child to stop breathing, police records said.

More than a week later, police said Agurcia-Avila was developed as a suspect. Police said investigators met with the mother who said her boyfriend confessed he punched the child in the head multiple times when he learned the child was not his.